(July 6, 2018) – Mitch Atkins struck out 10 in a three-hit complete game shutout as the York Revolution downed the southern Maryland Blue Crabs 10-0 on Friday evening at Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf, Md.
Atkins took a two-hitter into the ninth and walked none in the masterpiece, securing the ninth complete game shutout in Revs history and sixth in a nine-inning game. It is the second of the 2018 season as Atkins joins Zac Grotz who fired a six-hit shutout on May 24 at Lancaster.
It was a big night offensively for the Revs as well. Melky Mesa opened the scoring with a solo homer to left in the top of the fourth, his seventh of the season and fifth in his last 13 games. The long ball extended the lead to 3-0 in the sixth as Jared Mitchell led off with a double and Welington Dotel crushed a line drive two-run tater to left-center, his third of the season.
The Revs exploded in the seventh, scoring six runs on eight base hits, a season-high for a single inning, to blow the game open. Michael Burgess and Ryan Dent led off with knocks to set the table. Travis Witherspoon brought home the first run on a one-out single down the third base line. Jared Mitchell followed with an RBI single through the right side, and Alexi Casilla drove in a run on a swinging bunt hit along the first base line. Mitchell and Casilla teamed on a double steal, and Mitchell came home on Mesa's two-out RBI single to left. Jose Cuevas added an RBI single to left-center, and Burgess capped the outburst with an RBI single to right-center, as his second hit of the inning made it 9-0.
Mitchell drew a two-out walk in the eighth and scored his third run of the night on Casilla's double to the gap in left-center to make it 10-0.
Atkins tied a season-high by retiring 11 consecutive batters until allowing a one-out single by Ryan Strausborger in the ninth. Atkins (6-3) responded by retiring Edwin Garcia on a pop out to second and Devon Rodriguez on a strike out swinging to close out the fifth complete game of Atkins' career and his first career shutout.
Notes: Atkins' last complete game came on July 20, 2014 for Double-A Mississippi in a 9-1 win at Birmingham. The three hits allowed is the second fewest in a nine-inning complete game shutout in Revs history; Chris Waters tossed a one-hitter at Sugar Land on September 18, 2012. It ties the third fewest hits allowed in a complete game shutout of any length in Revs history. His 10 strikeouts are the most in a complete game shutout in Revs history. He becomes the second Revs pitcher to log double-digit strikeouts this season, joining Ross Detwiler (11 strikeouts May 26 vs. Road Warriors). Both accomplished the feat with no walks, as it is the seventh such performance in franchise history (10 strikeouts or more, no walks). It is Atkins' first double-digit strikeout performance in the Atlantic League and his first since August 25, 2016 with Double-A Portland (vs. Trenton). It is Atkins' first double-digit strikeout performance with no walks since August 3, 2008 with Triple-A Iowa vs. Salt Lake. It is Atkins' sixth consecutive win, the longest streak by a Revs pitcher since reliever Adam Thomas won six straight decisions in 2012. It is the longest by a Revs starter since Corey Thurman won a team-record eight straight in 2012. Atkins' streak is tied for the third longest in team history, and is the third longest as a starter behind Thurman's eight-gamer in 2012, and his seven-gamer in 2011. It is the longest streak of Atkins' Atlantic League career, and his longest since winning 12 consecutive starts between Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa in the Chicago Cubs organization in 2008. The 10-0 win is the Revs' biggest shutout victory since an 11-0 win vs. Southern Maryland on September 8, 2016. York lefty Logan Williamson (1-2, 5.03) faces Crabs righty Brett Marshall (2-1, 2.14) on Saturday at 6:35 p.m. Revs fans can catch the action live on SportsRadio 1350, woyk1350.com, The New WOYK app, and WOYK 1350 on YouTube beginning at 6:15 p.m. with Darrell Henry on the call.
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